InstructionsPreheat oven to 350°F. Place liners in a 12-cup muffin tin. In a bowl, pour coffee over figs. Stir in baking soda. Let it sit for 5 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk eggs, brown sugar, and honey until thickened (3 minutes). Add pumpkin. Mix just till combined. In another bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside. With the electric mixer on low, add the fig mixture to the egg mixture. Slowly add the flour mixture. Combine until moistened. Pour batter into muffin tin, filling each spot 3/4 full. Bake 20 minutes, or till the cake springs back when poked. Repeat with remaining batter. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, oil, honey, brown sugar, and salt. Stir until sugar melts. Continue stirring and slowly add the milk. Stir until thickened (5 minutes). While cakes are warm, poke a few holes in each with a toothpick. Spoon 1 teaspoon sauce over each. Serve, or store in the fridge for two days. Makes 16.

About Gesine Bullock-PradoGesine Bullock-Prado, author of Bake It Like You Mean It, planned to run the Marine Corps Marathon in late October—as long as her IT-band cooperated. "I usually race in memory of my mother, who was taken by colon cancer," says Bullock-Prado. "But this one I'll do for Team Kea, in honor of a high school classmate who died of breast cancer." For more, see Gesine.